The interim director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyons, spoke out on Wednesday about the brutal murder of a motel manager in Dallas, Texas, allegedly committed by a Cuban citizen with a criminal record and a deportation order.
In an interview with Breitbart News Daily, Lyons described the crime as an “atrocious act” and questioned the limited coverage of the case in traditional media.
"These are the criminals we need to remove from our communities,” he stated, referring to Yordanis Cobos, the Cuban immigrant accused of beheading his employer after a dispute."
“These are the animals we are dealing with,” Lyons said sternly.
He also recalled that “Cuba is known for not accepting the return of its citizens. This individual has a long history of violent crimes and should never have been free.”
The official explained that Cobos was released in January 2025, shortly before the start of the second term of President Donald Trump, due to the policies of the previous administration.
“They were lenient with crime and with the countries that refused to accept their nationals,” he said, referring to the Biden administration.
Lyons detailed that ICE, under the current leadership, is implementing a new strategy that includes forcing the repatriation of foreign criminals or finding third countries willing to accept them. “We will no longer continue releasing them saying: ‘Sorry, your country doesn’t want them’,” he stated.
According to official reports, Cobos attacked the manager of the Downtown Suites Motel with a machete in front of his wife and child, decapitating him and throwing his head into a trash container. He was arrested shortly after, while walking bloodied near a store. He is currently being held without bail and faces charges of first-degree murder.
The president Trump also reacted to the case on his platform Truth Social, stating that the suspect “should never have been in our country” and promising that his administration will not tolerate criminal immigrants.
The criminal history of Cobos includes charges of child sexual abuse, robbery, unlawful detention, and violation of parole in several states. Additionally, unconfirmed reports indicate that he may have been involved in two murders in Cuba before emigrating.
The case has generated a wave of outrage in Texas, particularly among the Indian American community, which has raised over $200,000 to support the family of the victim, Chandra Nagamallaiah, a respected entrepreneur who was planning to travel to India soon to visit his parents.
“We want people to understand the type of threats our agents face every day,” concluded Lyons. “This crime should serve as a reminder of why our immigration policies must be firm and responsible,” he emphasized.
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